There is no situation more difficult for a doctor than to tell a patient that he or she has cancer.  The “C” word is the last thing anyone wants to hear.

A total of 1,638,910 new cancer cases and 577,190 deaths from cancer will occur in the United States in 2012. The facts are that one in three Americans will be diagnosed with some type of cancer in their lifetime. The bottom line is we are not winning the war on cancer. I will show you seven practical steps to reduce your risk of cancer and why conventional medicine has failed to address these issues.

Why have conventional methods to treat cancer been ineffective? The answer is cancer can only be treated with a healthy body and an optimally functioning immune system.

What most people don’t understand in that cancer cells are emerging in most people’s body at various times. In effect, we have all had cancer at one time or another but because our immune system handles it and the cancer never progresses. The good news is that there are well -researched steps you can take to lower your risk of getting cancer.

1. DON’T SMOKE CIGARETTES

Furthermore, approximately 90% of lung cancer deaths among men and 80% of lung cancer deaths among women are due to smoking. Smoking also causes cancer of the esophagus, stomach, pancreas, kidney, bladder, cervix, and acute myeloid leukemia. In addition, cigarette smoking is associated with increased risk of heart disease, heart attacks, stroke, and lung disease. One cigarette will produce 20 quadrillion free radicals that damage DNA over time. Damage cells reproduce in an abnormal way that leads to abnormal cell growth and ultimately cancer.

2. MAINTAIN ADEQUATE IODIDE LEVELS

Iodine deficiency can result in hyperplasia of glandular tissue. Hyperplasia can be a precursor to cancer. This essential nutrient is concentrated in the glandular system of the thyroid, breast, ovaries, uterus, and prostate. The good news in both animal and human studies have found that iodide can reverse or halt the cell progression to cancer. The combination of iodine and iodide can help endocrine (glandular) tissue maintain a normal architecture and normal cell growth.  Do find it strange that Japanese women have 1/3 the breast cancer risk of American women?  Did you know that their diet is 1200 times higher in iodine?

3. AVOID SYNTHETIC CHEMICALS

You are what you eat. This is so true. If you eat food that these hormones are found in such as dairy products, meat, chicken, and fish from commercially raised sites. We use way too many pesticides on our crops, and pesticides are known carcinogens. Soy is a heavily sprayed crop and it is found in half of all products found on the grocery shelf. The solution is to eat organic fruits and vegetables.

Artificial sweeteners such as sucralose, which competively inhibit iodide in the body, have been associated with lung and liver cancer in animal studies. The sweetener has been associated with lymphoma and leukemia. The body responds well when given the proper raw materials. Carotenoids found in fruits and vegetables are the cornerstones to a healthy immune system.

4. DON’T EAT ‘WHITE’ FOOD

Refined foods-such as white sugar, salt, and flour lack the basic vitamins and minerals needed for a healthy body and efficient immune system.  Ingestion of refined sugar lowers white blood cell activity for five hours. The white cells are our first defense in the immune response. Remember that your immune system can cure your body of cancer. An alternative to refined sugar is natural sugar found in fruits.

5. WATCH OUT FOR HEAVY METALS

Many Americans have toxic levels of heavy metals such as, mercury, lead, arsenic, cadmium, and nickel. The number one heavy metal toxicity is mercury. The biggest source is in dental fillings called amalgam. The second source is ingestion in fish such as tuna, shark, and swordfish. Mercury has been linked to many health problems and cancer. Mercury also suppresses the immune system. A chelating agent can be used to remove mercury from your body.

1. AVOID RADIATION EXPOSURE

Ionizing radiation is a known carcinogen. Exposure is via radiation test such as CT scan, fluoroscopic procedures, dental X-rays, and PET scanning. Radiation damages DNA and leads to the growth of cancer. Compared to a chest X-ray a CT scan introduces 50 to 100 times the amount radiation. CT is as common now as the chest X-ray with more than 60 million scans done last year alone.

7. SUPPLEMENT YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM

I think this is a key component that is not addressed by 99.9% of doctors practicing. As we become more nutritionally deficient, our immune system is less effective in preventing disease, including cancer. We now have a way to measure the immune system through dietary intake. This method is called a bio photonic scanner. It measures the intake of fruits and vegetables in the diet through the skin. The measurement is a 3-month window into that person’s intake of whole foods. How can we expect to be healthy and our immune systems to function optimally when we are deficient in essential nutrients?

As I tell my patients, the best way to treat cancer is to prevent it!   The cancer incidence if you live to be 80 is 1 in 3 as a female and 1 in 2 as a male. It doesn’t seem we are winning the war on cancer, but just the opposite! Take charge of your health with a few simple life style changes. The power of good diet cannot be over emphasized.

If you are ready to take control, call us at Synergy Wellness and Weight loss and we will help guide you on the path to better health and wellness.